The wettability of solid particles, which is related to the surface energy of the solid particles, is an important parameter in many industrial applications. For example, separation of different solid particles from a mixture may be performed based on their wettability. Thus, a reliable and efficient method and device for quantifying wettability may have useful industrial applications.
Existing methods of determining surface energy of solid particles and thus quantifying wettability have several limitations. For example, one conventional method of solid particle surface energy measurement is known as the Film Floatation Technique. The Film Floatation Technique involves careful placement/sprinkling of a known weight of particles on the surface of a known surface tension liquid. However, the Film Floatation Technique has a number of limitations. For example, the Film Floatation Technique requires large volumes of liquids to implement the method, which results in a need for subsequent disposal of large volumes of the liquids. The results of the Film Floatation Technique may also have a large degree of uncertainty. Another limitation of the Film Floatation Technique is related to the experimental difficulties associated with sprinkling/placing solid particles on a liquid surface such that the kinetic energy component of the particle striking/touching the liquid surface would not dominate the surface tension component of the liquid. The concern associated with the dominance of the kinetic energy component of the particle over the surface tension component may be particularly pronounced if the particles are sizes ranging from few tens of microns to few hundred microns. For example, some solid particles may sink in the liquid as a result of the kinetic energy associated with the placement of the solid particles on the liquid surface instead of the surface energy of the solid particles. Another limitation of the Film Floatation Technique is the requirement to collect subsequent separation of sinking and floating solid particles and measure their weights.
Accordingly, solid particle surface energy measurement methods and devices that reduce measurement uncertainties and difficulties associated with existing methods and devices are desirable.